Transmission

You can't get HIV from kissing, sharing glasses, crockery, cutlery, sitting on a toilet seat or having general contact with somebody who has HIV.

The only ways of catching HIV are

  • Through unprotected (not using a condom for) vaginal or anal sex
  • Sharing injecting equipment
  • From mother to baby through childbirth and breast feeding (lots can be done to reduce the risk to nearly zero if mum is known to have HIV)
  • Through oral sex where semen or blood is taken into a mouth that is not intact in someway i.e. recently removed teeth, bleeding gums or severe mouth trauma.

In remote parts of the world where blood is not tested people have received blood transfusions with infected blood.

What is PEP?

PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis) is a one-month course of anti HIV medication that can stop you becoming HIV+ after you've been exposed to the virus.

The drugs are available to health workers who have had 'needle-stick' or similar injuries. This has recently been made available under strict prescribing guidelines to people who might have been exposed to HIV during sex.

For the treatment to be effective, it needs to be started within 72 hours of exposure. It can cause severe side effects such as diarrhoea, nausea and prolonged headaches. It is not guaranteed to work.

Can be available from sexual health clinics and hospital accident and emergency departments.

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